An Impossible Task?

[smokie]

Hello All ,

My 95 Year Old Grandmother has given me an impossible task?
To find out whatever happened to one of her dearest freinds.

I have very little information to go on & have scoured the CWGC & numerous Web-Sites but although have come up with some possible candidates - Have found nothing concrete.

Facts:

Enclosed is a Photo of a Warrant Officer Pilot called "Luke" & was KIA/MIA during 1939-1945 ( I suspect in the latter Years of the War).

Hearsay:

His name may have been Arthur Lucas - He may have been on a Fighter Squadron rather than a Bomber.
I think that he was RAF judging by his Uniform but could he have been Aus/Can/NZ/SA?
He could well have had promotion before he went missing - Possibly P/O F/O or Flt Lt?

I realize that this is most probabaly an impossible & a futile exercise unless I could possibly match his Photo with a Known other or could find out his Name or Squadron but this is my last port of call & I did say I would give it my best shot

If you can help in anyway it would be wonderful.

Best Regards - Keith.

[Leendert]

Keith,

You may have found that on the CWGC there are two entries with Arthur Lucas, if indeed that was his name.

First one was Sgt. Arthur Lucas of 196 Squadron, who died on 30 March 1943.
This squadron flew Stirlings at that time, I gathered.

And also Sgt Arthur Lucas of 428 (RCAF) Squadron, died on 28 Sept 1943.
He was a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.

Other board members may tell you about the uniform he's wearing.

Regards,

Leendert

[dp_burke]

Was this a friend of your grandmothers from where they grew up, went to school? or did she know him from war time service in the WAAF or other wise?

If he is a childhood friend then do the CWGC say he was from that place?

The Warrent Officer rank is a fairly distinctive piece of information and unless he was demoted, he would not have died as a Sgt, but perhaps as an officer, P/O, F/O, F/Lt etc.

[RodM]

Hi Keith,

as indicated, at least at the time the photo was taken, the airman was a W/O pilot in the RAFVR or RAF (there is nothing in the uniform to suggest a Commonwealth Air Force). Could the name "Luke" have been a Christian name rather than a corruption of a Surname?

Cheers

Rod

[Jaap Woortman]

According to ORB of no. 418 Sqn. RCAF they had a pilot with the name P/O Al Lukas (RAF/VR). He was born in the USA.

Jaap

[smokie]

Wow! - Many Thanks for all of your replies - it has given me a few more avenues to try.

I must admit I have more or less given up on the Arthur christian name as it looks to be a Red Herring & have gone along the lines of checking any Pilot with the Rank of P/O F/O or Flt/Lt with the Surname of Lucas- I did find only one W/O Pilot who served in 22 AACU in India called Bruce R Lucas - Could this be him?
He was killed in a Vultee Vengenace crash in 1944.

But as I explained earlier unless I get really lucky & can cross-reference the picture I have with a known other I am virtually sunk especially as I am going down the route of using the name "Luke" as an adaption of his surname Lucas - If Luke was his Christian name then that is really game over as all of the search engines for CWGC & other Sites depend on a Surname .

A Warrant Officer Pilot seems to be a fairly rare rank though & that just might open a door somewhere - Still think that "Luke" has Canadian overtones though? - Will check on 418 Sqn & have also found a Flt/Lt Lukey RCAF of 613 Sqn (Mosquitos) who may fit the Profile?

Who would be a Detective! - Many thanks all - Keith